Whale Arts Agency

Wester Hailes Arts for Leisure and Education

0131 458 3267

Get involved: Community Asset Transfer of WHALE Arts’ land

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What is Community Asset Transfer?

Over the past several years legislation and national policy in Scotland has developed to encourage and support the ownership of assets (buildings and /or land) by communities. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015; The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003; a joint COSLA/Scottish Government Statement 2008 and a Community Empowerment Action Plan in 2009.

Further reading here on the legislation – https://dtascommunityownership.org.uk/community/community-asset-transfer/asset-transfer-policy-benefits/what-asset-transfer

Why is WHALE Arts talking about Community Asset Transfer just now?

WHALE Arts has been working in Wester Hailes for 28 years, since 1992. Originally based in the Blue Hut on the Murrayburn Greenway, WHALE Arts moved to the site we work from today. The WHALE Arts Centre was designed and built in the late 90’s and opened in 2000. The reason we are talking about Asset Transfer now is because although the community own the building, the land is owned by City of Edinburgh Council and leased to WHALE Arts. The original 25 year lease has only 4 years left, running until 2024. We could ask City of Edinburgh Council to extend the lease instead of bringing the land into community ownership, however the benefits of full community ownership are clear (see below), so we felt that now is a good time to explore Asset Transfer.

What are the benefits of Community Ownership?

Usually communities use Community Asset Transfer to bring buildings and land into community ownership to create a new physical base for the community to work and/or socialise from. However, because WHALE Arts already own the building at 30 Westburn Grove, and from this base deliver a broad range of creative and community activities the reasons for doing this are less about creating a new space for the community and more about sustaining and securing this for the future. The focus will be on developing the building and the garden with a view to creating new enterprise activity which will create jobs, training and business opportunities for local residents and skills and capacity development for local residents in learning about community ownership.

Further reading here on the benefits of Community Ownership – https://dtascommunityownership.org.uk/community/community-asset-transfer/asset-transfer-policy-benefits/benefits-community-ownership

What is the process, how long will this take?

We need to demonstrate why it’s generic ambien doesn work important that the WHALE Arts Centre exists into the future and we need to show that the organisation can survive financially. In November 2020 WHALE Arts will submit a funding application to work with an expert on community consultation, business planning, and land valuation. If we are successful with this application we should have a new business plan by April 2021. During the summer 2021 we will work with the Members and the local community to take this to the next stage. The next stage will involve applying for funding to buy the land from City of Edinburgh Council, or have this transferred to us. So our hope is that this process will be complete by late 2021.

How can I get involved, find out more or feed my ideas in?

The Board are holding a Members session (on Zoom) on Thursday 15th October at 6pm. Any local residents who are not WHALE Arts Members are very welcome to come to the session as well. Please contact Leah Black for the zoom link and password (leah@whalearts.co.uk)

One of the stipulations of Asset Transfer is that we change our governing document to limit our membership to local residents of Wester Hailes. Currently the majority of our 50+ Members are local but we can also accept non-local members. We are really interested in hearing from local residents who would like to be involved in the Asset Transfer and would like to become Members of WHALE Arts. Members have voting rights (voting in the board of trustees) and can come along to our Members Breakfasts to help shape WHALE Arts projects and activities.

We have also created a very short survey to connect with local residents who have an interest in being involved in the Asset Transfer and the development of WHALE Arts in 2021 and beyond – please access this here.

Who are the Board of WHALE Arts?

We have 11 Trustees currently, and in line with our governing document, the majority are local residents. They are:

Andrew McNiven
Charlotte Binstead (local resident)
Denise Young
Euan MacLean
Eunice Main (local resident)
Emily Stevenson (local resident)
Grant Williams (Co-Chair)
Jade Jackson (local resident)
Kenneth Fowler (Co-Chair)
Ross Campbell (local resident)
Susan Gibson (local resident)

New Initiative for Community Wealth Building in South West Edinburgh

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Press Release: 22 July 2020

South West Edinburgh on the road to become first people-led ‘Community Wealth Building’ locality as GoBeyond reveals plan to build a ‘Community Wealth Building’ locality by 2030.

The collaborative approach, based on wellbeing economics and a greener recovery, is currently leading the Covid-19 recovery in South West Edinburgh.

Covid-19 increased demand for local support services overnight. In the Gorgie/Sighthill ward of Edinburgh, key anchors and small organisations came together to increase their capacity to address local challenges and build a coordinated map of services.

Behind this collaborative approach is the GoBeyond network, facilitated by Big Hearts, Whale Arts and Space & Broomhouse Hub. GoBeyond aims to share expertise, organise resources and encourage mutual support between community organisations and groups in South West Edinburgh.

With an estimated poverty of 22% in the ward, including the highest rate of child poverty across the city (35% vs 22%) and a working age population higher than the national average (73% vs 63%), the GoBeyond network has initiated a pro-active approach for the long-term resilience and prosperity of South West Edinburgh communities.

The first people-led ‘Community Wealth Building’ locality

The GoBeyond network facilitators would like to start a conversation with the people who live and work in South West Edinburgh with the aim to adopt a people-led strategy to create a ‘Community Wealth Building Locality’, based on wellbeing economics and a greener recovery.

Community Wealth Building refers to a pioneering and inclusive people-centred approach based on economic, social and environmental justice for the wellbeing and benefit of the local community.

Preston (Lancashire), Wirral (Merseyside) and North Ayrshire are some of the UK local authorities currently leading similar strategies, with South West Edinburgh expected to be the first people-led locality of its kind in Scotland.

Leading the Covid-19 recovery this summer

In South West Edinburgh, the three facilitators behind GoBeyond have been recognised by the Scottish Government as Community Anchor Organisations with funding awarded to coordinate the local efforts in supporting communities throughout the pandemic.

As of 22 July, a total of £55,000 in crisis grants have already been distributed to 30 resident groups and grassroots projects helping vulnerable people from Gorgie and Dalry, to Broomhouse, Sighthill and Parkhead and up to Wester Hailes and Clovestone.

Bridie Ashrowan, Chief Executive at Space & the Broomhouse Hub comments:

“GoBeyond was initially created to share ideas and resources for a pro-active response to local needs. The Covid-19 crisis has demonstrated how our collaborative approach can benefit the whole community in times of need. It’s a first achievement as we move forward to building and implementing the first community wealth building locality in South West Edinburgh.“

Note to editors:

1. GoBeyond: a 10-year plan for South West Edinburgh

GoBeyond is a network of trusted local voluntary sector partners with over 130 contributors working across local neighbourhoods in South West Edinburgh.

Their Community Wealth Building approach will take courage to build, going beyond the historic sole economic value, and shining light on the intrinsic value of people and assets that underpin a holistic approach to development in South West Edinburgh towards 2030.

As well as attracting new investments and green infrastructures into the local area, the new Community Wealth Building locality will open conversations with The City of Edinburgh Council, the Edinburgh Partnership and the Scottish Government on opportunities to ‘build back better’ and contribute to the growing community wealth and wellbeing economy strategies locally and internationally. To find out more, visit: https://wearegobeyond.org/

2. Community Anchors & Small Grants

This summer, GoBeyond is delighted to deliver financial support to grassroots projects and small community-based groups in Gorgie/Dalry, Broomhouse and Wester Hailes via its Small Community Grants scheme, which is supported by the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund via The National Lottery Community Fund.

Over 30 local groups in South West Edinburgh are receiving funds including : St Augustine’s Rugby Club, the Wester Hailes Litter Picking Group, Friends of Saughton Park, St Bride’s Centre (courses for adults), Love Gorgie Farm (educational programme), B Healthy Together (wellbeing) and Dunedin Canmore Youth Projects.

These small grants will benefit the local population affected during the Covid-19 pandemic and are made available through Community Anchor Organisations selected by the Scottish Government: Big Hearts Community Trust, Space & Broomhouse Hub and the Whale Arts Agency.

Media requests:

Phone enquiries: 0131 603 4816

▪    CRAIG WILSON, General Manager at Big Hearts Community Trust: craig.wilson@bighearts.org.uk

▪    BRIDIE ASHROWAN, Chief Executive at Space & Broomhouse Hub:  bridie@spacescot.org

▪    LEAH BLACK, Chief Executive at Whale Arts Agency: leah@whalearts.co.uk

Updated response to COVID-19: 25th March 2020

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We care deeply about our participants, team, our membership and the community we serve in Wester Hailes and beyond. Due to the new rules to stop the spread of Coronavirus we are continuing to take a range of measures and would ask everyone to have a read of these and pass on the message to anyone who you think might need to know.

WHALE Arts Centre

The building remains closed to the public and all our art groups continue to be postponed until further notice. There are a small number of WHALE Arts and SCOREscotland team members in the building with resources focused on providing food and support for those who need it in Wester Hailes.

Focus on Food Provision

Our Friday Community Meal has been replaced with a Community Takeaway – this will be cooked by our chef Paul and packaged up for locals to takeaway and eat at home. This will be from 1:00pm – 2:00pm each Friday at WHALE Arts. Please come to the Performance Space doors – there will be signage if you don’t know the way. We have queueing measures in place to help with social distancing to keep everyone safe.

And although the WHALE Arts building will be closed to the public the Community Fridge managed by SCOREscotland will continue to operate on reduced days – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday between 10:00am – 1:00pm. If you would like to use the Community Fridge please contact SCOREscotland on 0131 442 2341 or 07496 190 916.

Wester Hailes Together

We are communicating on a daily basis with a group of local community organisations, voluntary groups and support agencies in Wester Hailes and we are working together to support the residents of Wester Hailes during this time of uncertainty due to the Coronavirus. This will happen in a range of different ways, focusing first on food provision, essential items, and connecting and checking in with people online, and over the phone. Our support will follow the UK and Scottish Government’s most recent guidance on social distancing. We will use the Digital Sentinel to communicate weekly the most up to date provision available in Wester Hailes.

If you provide a service in Wester Hailes and you would like it included in the weekly update on local provision please email Craig on digitalsentinel@whalearts.co.uk who will include your provision or service in the Wester Hailes Together Weekly Update on http://www.digitalsentinel.net/

Let Us Know If You Need Help

Please get in touch with the WHALE Arts team if you need support or a conversation on 0131 458 3267 or by emailing info@whalearts.co.uk or by SMS text to 07926 613472.

Our response to Covid-19

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We care deeply about our participants, team, our membership and the community we serve in Wester Hailes and beyond. Because the current public health situation with Coronavirus is a serious challenge to all of us, we have decided to take a series of measures which are listed below and would ask everyone to have a read of these and pass on the message to anyone who you think might need to know.

WHALE Arts Classes, Group and Activities

From tomorrow (Wednesday 18th March) we will be adapting our services to temporarily limit face-to-face contact. Activities will not take part in the WHALE Arts building. The only services that will take part will be food provision – please see more details below.

WHALE Arts groups will be cancelled until Monday 4th May. We will be reviewing this policy as new guidance is made available.

We will revisit this towards the end of April based on up to date Scottish Government guidance and make a decision about the continuation of activities into May and beyond.

We will communicate any changes clearly with all participants, artists, partners and funders.

The WHALE Arts groups that are cancelled until 4th May are:

Stitch n Time

smARTcraft

Men’s Making

Let’s Create

Street Arts

Let’s Dance

Play Sense Create

Film Club

smARTies

NuStart

Mums into Business

Wester Hailes Connects Digital Skills Drop-ins

Members Breakfasts

Community Gardening

As our building will not be open our programmes delivered with partners will also be postponed:

Room for Art – with Art in Healthcare

Fork in the Road – Edinburgh Tool Library

Expecting Something – with Starcatchers

Open Book

Indian dance – Theiya Arts

Edinburgh Art Festival – art trips and schools groups

Activities related to our Creative Placemaking project will also be postponed between 18 March – 4 May. There will be a separate communication about this.

Our Easter Holiday Programme will also be cancelled, as will our Puppet ativan generic xanax Animation Festival shows and workshops.

Together with our team of freelance artists we will be developing a range of creative tutorials, fun ideas and exercise challenges for people of all ages to do at home. We will be disseminating these via our website, social media, email and by post. We are also looking at making up art material packs for people to collect, or which we may post out to people. And we are also thinking of some creative and fun ways to keep people connected over the next few weeks, using a range of platforms, but taking into consideration that many of our participants are not digitally connected.

Food Provision

Although the WHALE Arts building will be closed to the public the Community Fridge managed by SCOREscotland will continue to operate on reduced days – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. If you would like to use the Community Fridge please contact SCOREscotland on 0131 442 2341 or 07496 190 916.

Our Friday Community Meal will be replaced with a Community Takeaway – this will be cooked by our chef Paul and packaged up for locals to takeaway and eat at home. This will be from 1:00pm – 2:00pm each Friday at WHALE Arts. Please come to the Performance Space doors – there will be signage if you don’t know the way. We will have measures in place to help with keeping everyone safe.

Room Bookings

We will be in touch with organisations and people individually regarding room bookings which have been booked in over the next few weeks.

In the meantime, please stay safe and look after each other – if there is anything that you feel WHALE Arts could be doing or you would like to contribute to our thinking about how to act in the future, please do get in touch.

info@whalearts.co.uk

0131 4583267

WHALE Arts is …

... the cultural anchor organisation for Wester Hailes. We are a community-led arts charity and social enterprise, set up by local people in 1992. Our mission is to be the creative heart of a vibrant, thriving community.

WHALE Arts

30 Westburn Grove,
Edinburgh,
EH14 2SA
0131 458 3267
info@whalearts.co.uk

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